some happy things

this week. i swear to glob, it's been non-stop. suppose they don't call it the silly season for no reason, right? things that have made me smile through through the crazy this week:

marshmallow benders: on sunday i took hew - who had never been to the diner, to the diner to experience the wonder that is all day breakfast burritos and smores (from the festive menu - i think they're still celebrating thanksgiving) and many, many hard iced-teas. many, many hard iced-teas. then we went to the angel in angel, because a double gin is only four quid. then we went to see don broco play brixton o2, where i danced like a maniac and sang all the lyrics, and laughed when they started a pit, then danced some more. then i did a sleep. what a sunday!

snaps from home: my mum is back with her family in new zealand for christmas, and i am loving all the sunny "summer" snaps she's sending me. only, it was 17 degrees in london over the weekend, and it's about 11 and raining in wellington. she's layering up and i am stripping off. what is this weather? regardless, it's been five years since i had my last christmas in the southern hemisphere, so seeing her updates are making me very happy.

gifts on my desk: i rocked up back to work on tuesday only to find piles of cards and gifties that had arrived for me in my absence. i love getting presents - especially out of the blue. because i never really ask for anything, or never really want for things, i find that the things people choose to give out of thoughfulness rather than duty are way more touching. this week's were particularly kind.

edible alcohol: on tuesday night i caught up with charlie and emma at pizza pilgrims in carnaby for some dinner before we met up with claire and smash for the big event: the 'eat your drink' edible alcohol party, downstairs in the benefit basement. the clever clogs behind smith and sinclair teamed up with firefly tonics for an 'alternative alcohol' party in the brand's pop-up shop in the basement (only there until christmas eve! get going quiiiickly!), providing customers a new way to consume alcohol this christmas. cocktail pastilles? alcoholic candy floss? vodka dib-dab? i mean, it needs to be seen to be believed, but we had such a great night chatting away with smith and sinclair co-founder melanie about her products. and where the great idea came from. as someone who loves her food a drink with a side of something different, i found her spiel really interesting. not to mention her passion for the product she had was selling, and the business she and her partner had created from scratch.

christmas on carnaby: it was magical to catch carnaby with no one around as we left the party on tuesday. i used to work on caranby street, and seeing it at all times of the day from morning to night, it's rare to catch a glimpse of it with no one around. made it all the nicer to catch it that way while it was all dressed up for christmas too. ahhh, london. you so pretty.

on wednesdays we eat pink: on wednesday night i forfeited the last staff christmas party (as a bit of a protest, if i'm honest) for wahaca instead. there's not a lot that i wouldn't not choose pork pibill over, and it just so happened that my dinner matched my outfit, and that's totally ok with me too.

homemade nachos: i had thursday morning off (yaas!) and was working from home in the afternoon (double yaas!) so i took the opportunity to eat up a lot of the fresh stuff in my fridge by making some vegetarian nachos. they were insaaaanely good, and i was full for the rest of the afternoon. sometimes i get so bogged down with my standard dinner foods that i forget i know how to make loads of tasty things. like vegetarian chilli. and fresh guacamole that doesn't upset my tummy. ohhh my, all the nachos.

christmas jumper day: friday was christmas jumper day, and the first i have actually participated in - ever. yes, that's right: ever. why? well it's taken me a while to like, get on board with the tradition, ok? plus this year i found the best jumper; one that's not novelty and is actually warm and not itchy, and so although that's kind of besides the point of christmas jumper day, i still wore one. and we got the best awkward family photo at work with the whole team wearing theirs. it was a good day. it also happened to be my last day at work for the year, so... even sweeter really.

the glam clam: omigosh i don't even know where to start. there will be a post coming tomorrow with all the goss, but basically, a bunch of the best girls i have met online and i hit the town on saturday night in the very best way we knew how to: all the meat, then all the meat. yup, we started out with a grill dinner before heading into a drag show in north london. my first drag show, too! i've loved watching rupaul's drag race these last few years, and even commemorated my respect for these queens by getting my very own stag in drag this year, but actually being at the show was amazing. we had a fab time - i am still on a high from the night.

holiday prep: sunday. the only time i left my room on sunday was to wee, get more food, and find things i needed to pack. of course i left it to the last minute - what person packs too far ahead the time when they need to leave? plus, i needed clean clothes. and i wear my clothes, you know. anyway, sunday was spend in bed, coughing myself into a headache, finishing blog posts, and packing. that's entirely it. there were christmas songs on the radio, there was rain at the window. there was quite a bit of peace and quiet, and it was lovely. not a bad way to start a long-ass holiday, eh?